Island of Hope
by akaeve
Summary: AU set 1942,war in the Med.


**August 1****st**** 1942 HMS Louisburg, West Coast of Scotland**

Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs sat in the wardroom of HMS Louisburg; it had originally been HMS Roseneath but after Peril Harbour handed over to the Americans. He sat waiting for orders. He had no idea why he had been called over to Britain apart from the fact he had _been_ volunteered. Louisburg was a US controlled amphibious training centre and that was all he knew. He also knew that President Roosevelt had turned over two tankers for British use in supplying oil to Malta. So here he was sitting in a god forsaken country he had hardly heard of, Scotland, except in history and the highland clearances. Most Americans could trace their way back to Irish/Scottish ancestry, he had never bothered. His thoughts were broken by a voice beside him

"Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs?" a female Captain of the US Marines asked.

Gibbs looked about and would have loved to have given a smart ass answer but this was a Captain and he was in a foreign country, "Yes Ma'am." as he stood.

"Good, Lieutenant-General Adams of our US Marines and Rear Admiral Banks of the British Royal Navy will see you now." as she indicated he should follow her. She knocked on a door and opened it. Gibbs saw two men sitting, the Lieutenant-Colonel stood. "Gunny please, nice to see you," as he held out his hand, may I introduce Rear Admiral Banks. Please take a seat." as Gibbs sat looking at the two men.

"You must be wondering why you are here, Gunny?" the Admiral questioned, looking for reaction.

Gibbs shook his head.

"Your CO said you were a man of action…a bit of a wild card….a maverick, but loyal. He thought you would have the balls to assist the Brits in relieving the siege of Malta."

"I don't understand?" Gibbs questioned.

"Your President has turned over two tankers to our British Merchant Navy. We need to run a supply of fuel oil to the island." Banks continued, "Malta needs oil, the siege has become intolerable. Let's put it this way, Malta is of strategic importance to both Allies and to the Axis powers, who gets the Island could actually win this war. Malta is ideal for the continent of Europe, Italy and of course North Africa."

"I still don't understand Sirs." Gibbs replied.

"As you may, or may not be aware the SS Ohio is at this moment lying moored at Bowling-on-the-Clyde, loaded with fuel oil." Banks answered.

"Sir, I'm a Marine not a Merchant Seaman," Gibbs started to say.

"Gunnery Sergeant… the Ohio is fitted with one 5-inch gun on its stern, and a 3-inch AA-gun in the bows. You and a few other Marines have been commandeered to sail on the ship, it may be Merchant but we need military personnel on board." Adams replied.

"When do we leave Sir?" Gibbs now asked.

"Tomorrow, but you need to embark as soon as this meeting is over." As Rear Admiral Banks stood and offered Gibbs his hand, followed by Adams. Gibbs thanked the men and left the room. The Captain was waiting to take him to the ship.

Gibbs embarked the ship and asked a crewman for direction to the Captains office, he arrive in the door a brand new shiny plaque "Captain Dudley William Mason" the American crew had been relieved and the SS Ohio now flew under the Red Duster of the British Merchant Fleet, Gibbs knocked.

"Come." a voice shouted. Gibbs entered.

He appeared 15minitues later with a sheet of paper, his instructions. He went to find his cabin.

Gibbs found the cabin, but a gentleman was already there. He knew he was sharing but …the man turned to face Gibbs.

"Dr Mallard Royal Army Medical Corps, pleased to meet you," as Ducky offered Gibbs his hand, but seeing he was a tad over loaded withdrew it, "Seeing you and I are going to be room-mates and I got here first I have secured the bottom bunk. I hope you don't mind I suffer from seasickness and so in order….."

"Get the picture Doctor, but if Army?" Gibbs ventured

"Oh yes, maybe Army, but need to get back to Malta….mother and my girl. Do you have a girl?" Duks asked.

"Nope, Doctor Mallard, let's say a girl in every port, and call me Gunny." Gibbs replied.

"Quite Gunny," as Dr Mallard turned to go, "Please call me Ducky, so much more personal…..especially if we are sharing digs. And see you in the mess."

Gibbs unpacked what he needed from his kit bag.

**August 2**

At eight o'clock that evening, two hours before dusk, the ship sailed. The SS Ohio had a full cargo of fuel oil, 103,576 barrels. 14 Merchant ships, escorted by the cruisers HMS Nigeria and Kenya slipped out of the Clyde, and down through the Irish Sea, and through the Celtic Sea, meeting up with the rest of the convoy, 2 battleships, 4 aircraft carriers, 33 destroyers and 5 more cruisers. It was going to be a perilous journey.

The next morning saw Gibbs taking his rota on the big gun at the stern. He looked about the deck and saw Dr Mallard, it appeared he was playing golf, well practising his golf swing. Dr Mallard looked up and began to make his way to Gibbs.

"While back, on another vessel, I so happened, by chance, to hit a mine, they just let me carry on now…one of my minor eccentricities. That and it helps my handicap."

"But sea-sickness, Doc?" Gibbs now enquired.

"Oh yes, keep your eye on the ball and the horizon, but being a Marine I would have thought….." as he walked away laughing.

"I meant you Duks." Gibbs muttered, watching the man walk away.

The convoy continued on its way, the two battle ships returned to Britain, as did an aircraft carrier and two of the cruisers. The convoy entered the Straits of Gibraltar on the 10th of August in a shroud of heavy fog.

"Good cover." Ducky had said.

"For whom?" Gibbs asked himself.

11th August saw the start of the fighting, the carrier Eagle, was torpedoed, the other carrier let its planes fly to Malta and returned to Britain. The fighting continued.

On the 12th, a torpedo from an Italian submarine slammed into the side of the Ohio, but after repairs it continued on its way.

13th August saw the heaviest of the fighting, Stuka dive bombers focused on the Ohio, Gibbs was manning the Anti-aircraft gun, the Ohio had 24 Naval and Army ratings on board and they were all in full combat. One of the aircraft crashed into the Ohio, sending shrapnel everywhere, Gibbs screamed in pain and let go the gun, not before hitting another Junker, which bounced off the water and into the Ohio. The ship tried to avoid the mines and torpedoes, finally two bombs hit and lifted her out the water, the boilers blown, she was a sitting duck.

"Gunny you ok?" he heard a voice shout.

"Fine Duks, just tourniquet me up, I can still fire with my left." Gibbs shouted back.

"Gunny you should let someone else take your position." Dr Mallard replied as he bandaged Gibbs shoulder.

"Doc…there is a war on, go….go tend someone who needs more than me. I'm a Marine." Gibbs replied, as he continued to blanket the air with metal.

**14****th**** August**

The morning saw fighters on the horizon, Spitfires, some of those that the carrier had sent to Malta. Refuelled they were back with a vengeance. Three of the merchant ships sailed on to Malta to be met by 4 corvettes, minesweepers and motor launches. They arrived in Valetta Grand Harbour at 18.00hrs.

Meanwhile the fighting was intensifying, the Germans and the Italians determined to sink the Ohio at all costs. As Gibbs watched the skies a Junker flew low over the ship, and as it dropped its bomb, Gibbs fired. Although he got the plane, the ship was nearly split in two.

"You have to go Gibbs, abandon the ship." Ducky shouted.

"Like hell Duks. I came to do a job, and a job I will do."

"Be it on your own head, but I hear the destroyers are going to sandwich the ship." Dr Mallard replied, as an Italian torpedo from one of the bombers slammed into the stern destroying the rudder.

"Listen Duks," Gibbs shouted through the noise, "Someone of military has to stay on board, and man the guns."

"There are others Gibbs, you're injured." Dr Mallard shouted back.

"Rubbish, a bit of shrapnel isn't going to get the better of me, and anyway you said you had a girl waiting. I don't have anyone." As they saw one of the destroyers line up to the stricken ship, finally getting a rope secured, the Ledbury waited until its sister ship the Penn, took control of the other side. The ship now tightly sandwiched, the two ships guided and glided the now almost sinking tanker towards Malta and the Grand Harbour.

**August 15****th**

9.30am that morning, the convoy, the "Il-Konvoj ta Santa Marija" as it was to become known as, limped into the Harbour, a tug nosing the ship, at the stern, it was the ships rudder. The arrival of the merchant ships and the tanker, did not mean the siege was over, but it did at least ensure that Malta stayed in the war. It had been a hard price to pay, nine merchant ships sunk, one aircraft carrier, two cruisers and a destroyer, all at the bottom of the Mediterranean, but 32,000 tons of general cargo and enough fuel to give the island 10 more weeks of fight. The Royal Navy gunners, Fleet Air Arm and one Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs, US Marines had shot down 42 of approximately 330 Axis aircraft. As they tied up at the quay, the cheers of the crowds, was overpowering.

As Gibbs and Dr Mallard walked down the gang-plank to dry land a young woman waved to Ducky. He waved back, as she started to run to the pair.

"May I introduce Jordan, my girlfriend, and my mother," now seeing Victoria striding to Ducky. "And that girl you see with them, is Jordan's sister Eva-Marie." As he saw the look in Gibbs eye as he stared at the dark haired Mediterranean beauty, Gibbs smiled.

"Now Donald, you didn't write to tell me you were bringing a friend, How am I supposed to know how many to cook for? We have had a siege here you know, and food is scare. There is a war on you know. And who is your friend?" Victoria Mallard questioned.

"Mother may I introduce Gunny, he's an American Marine, and yes mother I know you have had a siege, but that is over now. So may we please go. I need to see to our marine wounds," as he looked over his shoulder. He needn't have worried, Eva-Marie was holding on the arm of Gibbs helping him through the crowds and into the main street.

Oh yes, Gibbs was glad he _had been volunteered._

The End.


End file.
